Kate

Updated: October 11, 2021 by MomsWhoThink Staff

The baby name Kate came to be in the Middle Ages. The English created a more informal version of the name Katherine through the name Kate. It is now a standalone name with many celebrities using the name for their own, including popular actress Kate Winslet.

Meaning of the name Kate:

English: pure

Origin of the name Kate:

The baby name Kate was created in England as a diminutive and nickname for the traditional name Katherine. This shortened name has been in existence in England since the Middle Ages. The name became popular throughout the world due to Shakespeare's character in “Taming of the Shrew.”

Symbolism of the name Kate:

The baby name Kate is used as a standalone name now, though it was originally a shortened form of Katherine. Despite this current standing, the baby name does still retain the original meaning that Katherine has too of “pure.”

Style of the name Kate:

Traditional

Gender of the name Kate:

Kate began as being short for Katherine, which is also a female name.

Pronunciation of the name Kate:

KAYT

Number of syllables in the name Kate:

One

Emotion evoked from the name Kate:

The baby name Kate is simple and more informal than the longer Katherine. It does still feel refined and classy, however.

Alternative spellings for the name Kate:

Cate
Cayte
Kayte
Kait
Cait
Kaite
Caite

Nicknames for the name Kate:

Kay
Kat
Kay-Kay
Katie
Katy

Popularity of the name Kate:

Kate was only on the top 200 list of the Social Security Index in the year 1900 at number 180 before it began to rapidly decline. As of the year 2002, however, it came back onto this top 200 list for eight years, then again in 2011 for three years. Kate has now declined in popularity again, however, ranking at number 411 overall.